Electric vacuum-cleaner.



R; H..& J. MORROW.

ELECTRIC VACUUM CLEANER. APPEICATION FILED FEB. 10. 1912.

Patented June 8, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET lmm Ema mu R. H. & J. MORROW.

ELECTRIC VACUUM CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10. 1912.

Patented June 8, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET'2.

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'RiICHARiD H. MORROW All!) JAMES MORROW, 0F WAUKEGAN, ILLINOIS.

nnncrnro VACUUM-CLEANER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that WB,RICHARD H. Monnow and JAMES Moscow, citizens of the United States, and residents of Waukegan, in the county of Lake and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Vacuum-Cleaners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a power cleaner of the class described, which utilizes an electric motor for the motive power, and one of the principal objects of the invention is to providean improved, compact and simple device of this class which is eilicient in operation. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the class described in which pressure may be applied directly to the inlet nozzle or opening.

Another object of the invention isto provide means whereby the machine may be pushed under an article of furniture or similar articles, and will lie flat on the floor in such a position so that pressure may be applied adjacent the inlet nozzle.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide-a casting for the fan and the inlet nozzle of'improvcd construction and formation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a motor casing to which the fan case may be directly secured.

For the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful as will appear, the g'features of novelty in the con-- sists' in combination and arrangement of struction,

the several parts generally shown in the accompanying drawings and described in the specification, but more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the-drawings Figure l is a view in side elevation of a machineconstructed in accordance with the principles of our invention; Fig. 2 is a view in front ele vation of thesame, part of the handle member being omitted; Fig. 3 is a view of the detailed construction of the motor and motor casing; Fig. 4 is a View in longitudinal cross section. of a cleanerof this kind; F ig. 5 is a plan view taken on line 5 --5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a detail view of an attachment which may be positioned adjacent the axial opening of the fan casing, Fig. 7 is a plan view of the exterior opening in the inlet chamber which registers with the opening in the fan chamber.

this invention conwith a nut'19 which Specification of Letters Patent, I Patented June 8, 19115 Application filed February 10, 1912. Serial No. 676,899. r I

In machines of the class to which the present invention belongs, it is desirable that means be providcd to enable the operator to push the machine under an article of furniture, such, for example, as a chair or a bed, without danger of upsetting the machine or of tilting the inlet end upward, so that it cannot accomplish its desired result. It is also desirable that means be provided for exerting a pressure upon the inlet nozzle or adjacent the inlet nozzle, so that any particles of dirt which adhere particularly to the surface to be cleaned, may be subjected to additional pressure or scraping by exerting downward pressure upon the handle. If the handle is-attached intermediate of the body of the machine it requires a greater pressure to exert the desired dow'fiward pressure at the inlet nozzle and unless the point of support of the handle member is sufiieicntly low with respect. to the machine, is more subject to a tipping action when moved across the surface to be cleaned.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings and 'n the presentciieniplification of our invent on, the numeral 12 designates enerally a motor of any desired or-suitable form, but in the present instance a partiou larly designed alternating current motorlof the series type, which is capable of a great many revolutions a. minute. In this motor the pole pieces 13 are provided with windings l-i, and inclosing them at one end is a, casing 15 which provides a bearing support for an armature shaft 16. This casing is provided with projections 17 at the side adjacent the bearing support against which the pole pieces 13 abut and into these projections a rod 18 which also passes through the pole pieces, is threaded and provided against the pole pieces to hold them in position with respect to the casing15. This casing is also provided with an opening 20' through which the conductors for conveying the electric current to the motor may be inserted, and adjacent the hearing may be is adapted to be moved provided with an oil cup 21 of any suitable design or structure.

flat end or face portion 24, which forms a bearing for the armature shaft 16 at ,the other end of the motor. This bearing is alsoprovidcd with an oil cup 25 which ex.- tends through the casing member 22 and which may bemoved or adjusted from the outside thereof.

The motor shaft 16 preferably extendsbeyond the fac'eQ-l of the casing member 22 and mounted thereon in'any suitable mannor is a fan 26. Surrounding the fan 26 and secured to the adjacent motor casing 22 isa fan case 27. This fan case comprises a fan chamber 28 substantially circular in form in which the fan 26 rotatesy'and is provided with a discharge outlet opening in the periphery thereof in the form of a bent tube or extension 25). with the fan case and substantially parallel with it is an inlet casing 30 which incloses an inlet chamber31, the outer wall of the fanchamber and the inner wall of the inlet chamber being common. To .afi'ord communication between the inlet chamber 31 and the fan chamber 28 an opening 32, preferably circular in form, is provided,

preferably disposed adjacent the axis of the In the outerwall of'the inlet chamber 31, and prefmotor and the center of the fan.

erably registering with the opening 32 between the fan and inlet chamber is an opening 34, and in this opcningthere is disposed a plug or'closure 35. This plug 35 may be held in the opening inany desired manner,-

1 such, for example, as by means of the projections 36, which may be moved into the opening 84 (see Fig. 7) through the slots 37 and "the plug then rotated to engage the lips of the opening, whereby it will be held firmly in position.

The inlet chamber 31- is preferably of a form diverging from the centralopening 32,

and extending downwardly in a substantially inverted V-or wedge shaped-form, so that the lower edge extends below the fan casing and laterally beyond the sides thereof. The lower face of'the in'let 'casing '30 is formed with a slot or inlet opening 38,-

which may be provided with cross bars 39 to prevent the ingress of large particles of dirt or foreign material which would tend to clog the fan, and the lateral'edges or lips 40 surrounding the opening 38 are preferablyif rounded so that they will notltend to'sci'atclif-f'to-dust and dirt. This bag 49 is supported 'or mar the surface over which the cleaner is moved.

Formed integral therein which extend preferably in opposite 1 direction. These lugs 41 are adapted to the motor casing 15 upon which are mounted the wheels 45.. These wheels are preferably provided with tires 46 of any desired or suitable material, such as rubber-and the like, and the lower faces of the wheels are substantially in the same plane as the face of a the opening 38 in the inlet casing 30. The

shaft 44 preferablyprojeets at both ends beyond the wheels 4-5 and a cotter pin 47 may be provided .to hold the wheels in positi'on, the projecting portion of the shaft 4-4:

being for the'--)urpose of engaging the (?X tremitie's 43 ot the handle-member 42. It

will be evident that the points of pivotal support of the handle, vim, lugs 41,-are located below theshaft 44,-so that it is necessary to provide the membersfi each with a bent portion 48, in order that the other end of the handle 42 may strike the surface upon which the cleaner-is supported without tilting the forward end of the machine upwardly. This will be'evident from an in spcction of the dottedportion of the handle 42, as shown in Fig.1, and-it will-be seen that in this position the outer end of the handlemay strike the surface upon which the cleaner is supported without raising the forward end of the cleaner or without press ing ma'terially upon the shaft 4:4. If there is a tendency of the rear end of the cleaner to tip upwardly,"the shaft 44 will engage the extremities 43 and will prevent-the cleaner from tipping upwardly. I From this doscriptionit will b'eev'identtha't any pressure which isexerted upon the handle is communicated directly: to the inlet ee'nd of the cleaner, and when it is desired to exert a greater pressure at the inlet, for example,

when it is desired to remove. or loosen dirt which adheres closely to the surfaceto be cleaned, it is necessary only to press downwardlyupon thehandle member and to 7 move the inlet nozzle across the surface to at the'cnd remote from thetube29 upon the handle-42 by means ofthe'fhooks "50', and any desiredor suitable'fast'ening device in connection with the bag. It will be evident that when the handle 42 is in the full line posiis lessthan when the handle is in lav-@3253:

distance of one of of the'bag a lower position,forexample, as that shown in the dottedhoutline, and in the latter case it is necessary to support the bag 49 from'a book 50 at a less distance from the point of pivotal support of the handle.

' In operation it is necessary only to start the motor and to move the inlet nozzle or opening 38 over the surface to be cleaned, whereupon the suction produced by the fan 26 will cause the air and particles of dust and dirt to be drawn up through the inlet opening .38 through the inlet chamber 31', and through the axi'alopening 32. T he fan may be described as of a centrifugal type in which the air and dust is admitted adjacent the axis of the fan and is thrown off from tion shown by Fig. 1, the the hooks 50 from the other end the periphery thereof, the mixture of dirt and air being forced into the bag e9 which is impervious to the passage of the dirt, but permits the escape of air therefrom in the well known manner.

If desired a cleaning attachment as shown in Fig. 6 may be provided, which consists of a cleaning hose 51, having a coupling 52, adapted to be inserted through the opening 84 in the inlet casing 30, and through the opening between the fan chamber and the inlet chamber 31. This effectively closes the inlet chamber 31 from communication with the fan chamber 28, and causes the fan to draw air through the tube or hose 5].. If desired the coupling or connection 59. may be provided with lugs 53 which are inserted through the slots 37 in the sides of the opening 34; (see also Fig. 7), and engaged by rotating the coupling In the preferred construction the current for the motor is connected thereto by means of a conductor 5 which is seated in a groove 55 in'the handle l2, and is preferably provided at theupper end of the handle with any desired or suitable connecting members or plug connections therefor.

The motor casing at the end adjacent the fan of a particular construction, so that the fan casing may be secured directly thereto, thereby resulting in a compact, simple arrangement in structure which occupies little space.

It will also be evident that this cleaner may be used for removing dirt and the like from beneath articles'of furniture or similar inaccessible places, and that while in such position the cleaner will be held in the corrcct position for removing the material, and u in such a position that pressure may be appl ed to the nozzle portion of the cleaner.

it will be evident that if there is a tendency for the cleaner to tip backwardly, the

forward extremities 43 will strike the fan .casiu 2? and will )revent the cleaner from being overturned in this direction. With this construction and arrangement the tendency totipin either direction is minimized, and the nozzle of the cleaner is maintained in the cumstances. lressure may be applied dircctlyto the nozzle and if it is desired to lift either end of the cleaner it may be accomproper position under all cir-' plislied with little effort forthe reason that the pivotal connection of the handle member is at the front of the cleaner and this end may be j, easily raised, and by rotating the handle until the extremities strike .the fan case, the motor end may be easily raised be cause of the leverage which is obtained by the handle.

lVhat is. claimed. as new is 1. The combination with motor comprising a shaft,- a casing which forms bearings for the motor shaft, a fan mounted on the shaft outside of the motor casing, a fan casing removably secured to the motorcasing and provided with a peripheral outlet opening, and an integral inlet chamber of which wheels, and a handle member piv'otally mounted in the said depending portion and adapted to engage the said projecting ends of the shaft when the rear end of the cleaner is upturned.

3. In a vacuum cleaner, the combination with a motor casing, of a fan case secured to the casing at one end, having a depending inlet portion, a shaft mounted below the motor, wheels mounted thereon and providing bearing members for the adjacent end,

the ends of the shaft projecting beyond the wheels, and a handle pivotally mounted in the said depending portion and adapted to engage the said projecting ends of the shafts, or the fan case, to limit the movement of the cleaner with respect to the handie when it tends to upset in either direction. 4. In a vacuum cleaner, the combination with a motor casing, of a fan case secured to the casing at one end. having a depending inlet portion, a shaft mounted below the motor at the other end, wheels mounted thereon and providing bearing members for the adjacent end of the cleaner, the ends of the shaft projecting beyond the Wheels, and a handle having a forked end portion pivoted in the depending portion and adapted to engage the projecting ends of the shaft.

' ends of the shaft projecting beyond the wheels, and a handle having a forked end portion pivoted in the depending portion and adapted to engage the projecting ends of the shaft, the forked end portion being offset to permit the handle to extend adjacent a plane surface when the cleaner isdisend pivotally mounted in the depending porposed thereon.

6. In a vacuum cleaner, the combination withfa motor casing, of a fan case and an integral depending inlet portion removably secured to the motor casing, a shaft mounted below the motor, wheels mounted thereon, and a handle provided with" a forked tion below the said shaft, the forked end being offset between the points of pivotal support and the ends of the shaft to allow the of February A. D. 1912.

handle to reston the surface on which the cleaner is supported. 7

In a vacuumcleaner, the combination with a motor caslng, of a fan case and'an 1ntegral depending inlet portion removably' secured to the motor casing, a handle provided with a forked endpivotally mounted in the depending portion, and means in connection with the motor casing to engage the forked portion of the handle, the handle being provided with an offset portion to persaid means wardly.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 7th day when the cleaner turned up-.

RICHARD H. MoRRoW; JAMES MORROW.

Witnesses: ESNEE WALTON,

K. W; WONNELL.

.mit it to rest on the floor, and to engage the 

